1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tart, soft, creamy, and water separation resistant tofu cheese product and to a method of manufacturing same.
2. Information Disclosure and Summary of the Present Invention
While a soy bean curd called tofu has been well known for some time, it is believed that prior to the present invention there has been no natural, organic tofu cheese product resistant to water separation having an extended shelf life and yet having a soft, creamy texture. As used herein a tofu spread is natural if it is derived from soy beans substantially without the addition of other substances. In the prior art, various substances such as lactic acid, vinegar, alcohols and edible oils are added during production of tofu cheese to coagulate, sterilize or otherwise modify the properties of the product; such added substances, in any substantial or effective amount, render the product non-natural.
In recent years, soy bean curd has been recognized as a high quality protein which has been disclosed as useful, for example, for making seasonings or prepared foods including spreads and the like. The prior art appears to be directed to special processes and agents used in the formation of the actual tofu from soy beans. More particularly, it relates to the manner of obtaining and treating the curd during the initial formation of the tofu.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,613 a soy based cheese food is described in which the soy protein slurry, after being heated to a temperature of at least about 200.degree. F,. is retained under positive pressure. Then the slurry is cooled and mixed with an edible oil to improve the whiteness of the product.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,789 the rate of rise of temperature at the center of a raw material for tofu is adjusted to within a specific range together with the pressure to obtain a tofu which is purported to be smooth and has a compact texture free from pores and syneresis.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,588 a preservable, granular, particulate tofu which is smooth and does not liberate water during storage is prepared by coagulating soy bean milk or soy bean protein paste in heated oil at specified temperatures, the concentration of soy bean milk being higher than that conventionally used in ordinary tofu. Additionally, the pH of the paste is elevated and egg white is added to coagulate the soy bean milk.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,678 a long shelf life packaged soy bean curd is disclosed as being produced without the inclusion of any artificial additives such as coagulating agents and the like wherein soy bean juice is subjected to lactic acid fermentation until it reaches a specified pH whereupon the soy bean juice is subjected to heating to adjust the curd tension.
One of the many advantages of the present invention is that a novel tofu product can be manufactured using basically a standard tofu product by adopting the novel processing steps subsequent to the formation of the curd from the soy bean slurry without requiring or utilizing various additives, pressurized systems, heated oils or the like.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a novel, non-dairy tofu cheese product having major health benefits including the production of a product entirely from natural and organic ingredients which does not require any artificial additives, and yet has a novel creamy (rather than grainy) consistency while retaining beneficial characteristics such as low fat, low sodium, and no cholesterol or lactose.
Another object of the present invention is to produce a cream cheese substitute having the aforementioned attributes, further characterized in that it has a novel tart taste which is similar to that of boursin cheese and has a unique texture which makes the product a novel entry into the natural/health foods market place.
Yet another object of the present invention is to create such a unique product utilizing a generally standard recipe for the initial processing of tofu from soy beans and then treating it using natural means without resorting to either expensive complicated processes or systems or both.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to produce a relatively non-porous integral tofu brick by virtue of control of moisture content and by incorporating novel tofu pressing and cooling techniques.
Yet another object of the present invention is to treat the firm integral tofu brick by coating it with a natural miso coating and then naturally fermenting the brick to produce a smooth and compact texture which is relatively free from pores and syneresis.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to treat the fermented brick in a manner which produces a soft and cream textured, low sodium tofu product.
Yet a further object is to provide a useful product including the miso by product of the fermentation process.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tofu cheese product of the sort therein described using only mechanical, thermal, and biological processes.
Other objects will be understood by those skilled in the art upon reading the specification herein including the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the claims.